Sparkly McPink-Glitter.

Podme Podmidala?

I'm pretty sure I need an IPod named this.

Is there any chance I can steal you away from Saget

Wait until he's in his NERDHOLE.

sara, I'm saving that for my first born.

how are the parentals?

How about something spooks the horse and it runs off?

Hmm. The problem with that is it'd have to throw both the characters, and they'd lose everything that's strapped to the saddle, which would be problematic. Also, I've characterized the horse as patient and longsuffering, and it's a cavalry horse, so probably tougher to spook than most.

Susan, just have the horse get something lodged in it's hoof like a sharp stone. After removal, that would bruise the pad enough to make the horse lame for a few days but wouldn't cause long term damage. The horse probably wouldn't fall to its knees, but it would certainly stumble and start limping.

Hmm. At the bare minimum, I want something that both my characters would notice, and right away, since I'm interrupting them mid-bicker by giving them something else to worry about.

"Hole" makes everything funny, it is true.

Is there any chance I can steal you away from Saget, O Pithiest and Prettiest of Rios?

Well, he is out of town till Saturday...

Oh trust me--if a horse gets something sharp in its hoof, the riders will know it. The stumble could be bad enough to unseat someone, easily.

(And yes, speaking from experience here. Alas.)

Cupcake.

how are the parentals?

Quite well. We hit the science center and wandered around the harbor today. I think we'll go to Gettysburg (mom has always wanted to go, I've never been, and it isn't far at all!) tomorrow, provided no rain. I feel like I'm not being entertaining enough (since tonight, all we did was sit around and READ. When I wasn't lying on the bed, talking to mom) but...heck, it is what happens when I am there too.

Haven't felt an overwhelming urge to kill, though I think my countertops might never recover from the coffee stains. (My dad...makes coffee messily.) But, as is his wont, he's fixed my lamp and tightened probably every knob, pull and handle in the apartment. I'm kinda afraid he'll tackle the visor in my car next. He's an unrepentant and undeterable fixitman.

fixit dads are a good time. I picked up another free floorlamp on the street tonight. It needs to be re-wired and that may keep until dad's next visit.

Thanks, Kristin! I think when I had the hivemind help me through a lame horse scenario in my first book, we did the rock in hoof thing in a less dramatic way, so I didn't immediately think of it for this one.

You know, if I stick to my plan and have my next book be set mostly at sea, the hivemind will be much less helpful, since somehow I doubt we have as much tall ship knowledge as we do equestrian. But at least it'll keep me from having a horse with a stone in its hoof in every single book I write.